Chocolate Guinness Cake

By slebel

Ingredients

• 250 ml (1 cup) Guinness
• 140 g (1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp) unsalted butter, cut into chunks
• 175 ml (3/4 cup) cocoa
• 250 ml (1 cup) superfine sugar
• 250 ml (1 cup) dark brown sugar
• 175 ml (3/4 cup) sour cream
• 2 eggs
• 10 ml (2 tsp) vanilla
• 500 ml (2 cups) all-purpose flour
• 12 ml (2 1/2 tsp) baking soda
• 2 ml (1/2 tsp) salt
• Cream cheese frosting
• 250 g (8 oz) cream cheese, at room temperature
• 125 ml (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
• 325 ml (1 1/3 cup) icing sugar
• 5 ml (1 tsp) vanilla

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 175 C (350 F). Butter and line with parchment paper a 22-cm (9-inch) round cake pan with high sides (at least 5 cm or 2.5 inches) or a 22-cm (9-inch) round springform pan. In large pot, place Guinness and butter. Cook over medium heat until butter melts. Whisk in cocoa and sugars. Remove from heat and let cool. In small bowl, whisk together sour cream, eggs and vanilla until very smooth. Add to the chocolate mixture and stir until combined. In another small bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt. Add to the chocolate mixture and stir until just combined. Pour into prepared pan and bake for 50-60 minutes. Cool on rack. When cool, invert onto a plate, peel off parchment paper, and ice with cream cheese icing.
Cream cheese icing: In medium bowl using electric mixer on medium speed, beat together cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Add icing sugar and beat until light. Stir in vanilla.
Tester's notes: This is what Nigella would call a "damp cake." It is moist and dense and will probably fall just a bit in the middle, and you shouldn't take this personally. The icing is light and not too sweet. Just make sure the cream cheese is softened before you start or you will never, ever get the lumps out.